Polishing device for printing press rollers



March 27, 1934.

POLISHING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS ROLLERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1930.

A TTORNE Y.

' March 27, 1934. E. L. CECIL 1,952,655

POLISHING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS ROLLERS v Filed Oct. 9, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J INVENTOR.

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BY MA L A TTORNE Y.

E. L. CECIL 1,952,655

POLISHING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS ROLLERS March 27, "1934.

Filed'Oot. 9, 1930 :s Sheets-Sheet a j INVENTOR. ZZ/Gf/Vf l. ((5/4 @415 ATTORNEY.

l atentecl Mar. 27, 1934 PATENT OFFICE POLISHING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS ROLLERS Eugene L. Cecil, Washington, D. 0., assignor of one-half to L. D. Wright, Washington, D. 0.

Application October 9, 1930, SerialNo. 487,471

17 Claims.

The invention is for a device for the collection and control of small particles of material suspended in the atmosphere and is more particularly adapted to use on roller polishing ma- 5 chines, such for instance, as machines for polishing printing press rollers and to which adaptation the device will be described.

After a printing press roller has been resurfaced by grinding with an emery wheel or the like, the surface will be found, if examined under a magnifying glass, to contain myriads of pits or indentations. It is highly desirable to remove these pits or indentations from the surface of the roller so that the roller may present a smooth and unbroken surface in order to impart ink to a plate in a perfectly smooth and unbroken coating of a uniform thickness and density throughout the entire length of the roller. After the roller has been ground to remove any unevennesses or undulations therein, it is placed in a machine where it is rotated at high speed while finely powdered soapstone or other polishing material is fed to the roller and sand paper applied for polishing, which operation removes the pits or indentations made in the roller by the grinding operation, thus leaving the surface of the roller in a perfectly smooth glazed like condition. Soapstone required for this purpose is exceedingly finely powdered and readily floats in the air, in the form of dust, where it is held in suspension in all parts of the shop in which the rollers are being polished thus requiring the person polishing the roller to wear a respirator in order to exclude the soapstone dust from his throat, nose, and lungs.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means for applying the powdered soapstone to the roller and collecting any superfluous powdered soapstone therefrom, confining and-conducting it to a receptacle removed from the face of the roller.

It is a further object of the invention to apply, collect, confine, and convey the superfluous powdered soapstone from the face of the rolier to the feed hopper of the device for feeding the soapstone dust back to the roller.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means which will exert a' sucking action on the atmosphere, which is laden with the fine particles of soapstone dust, in the vicinity of that portion of the roller to which it is being applied while the roller is being polished and convey the soapstone dust into a conveyer pipe and deposit it in a receptacle at a point removed from 55 the face of the roller in order that-thesoapstone dust so removed from the atmosphere may be re-claimed and again fed to the roller for polishing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hopper having an agitator therein to prevent the packing or clogging of the soapstone dust within the hopper in order that it may freely feed from the hopper to the surface of the roller being polished.

it is still a further object of the invention to provide a device for the purposes stated having meansadjustably adapting the device to the polishing of rollers of varying diameters.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 shows a polishing machine having a printing press roller rotatably mounted thereon with the soapstone freeing and re-claiming device applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the device with the roller broken away in order to show the detail construction of the feeding device.

Figure 3 is a side view of the device taken on line '3-3 of. Figure 2 and at right angles thereto.

Figure 4 is a side view on an enlarged scale of the device partially in section.

Figure 5 is a section through the hood of the hopper taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a modification of the invention.

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing a bracket afiixed to the table of the polishing machine for adjustably supporting a track above thetable with portions of the table and track broken away.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a filler.

Figure 9 is a front elevational view of Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of Figure 3 taken on line 10-10 of Figure 8 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Reference character 10 indicates the machine in its entirety for rotatably supporting a printing press roller 11 and is provided with a base 12 which is provided with spaced apart bearings 13 and 14 for the reception therein of the ends 15 and 16 respectively of the roller stock. The driving head 1'7 is provided with a pulley over which belt 18 extends and is driven by electric motor 19 through the medium of pulley 20. Bearings 13 and 1% may be of any desired construction, though preferably should be of the hinged type in order that the roller may be readily and conveniently placed within and removed from the bearings. Base 12 is provided with an upstanding longitudinally grooved track 21. Hopper 22 has arcuately shaped downwardly extending portion 23 to which brackets 24 are affixed, which brackets are substantially inverted U-shaped in cross section and have journaled therein wheels 25 for reciprocal longitudinal travel in the groove of the track 21 for moving the hopper longitudinally in either direction of the roller 11 while feeding powdered soap stone thereto for polishing.

It will be noted that the groove in track 21 is wider (see Figs. 3 and 6) than the bearing faces of the wheels 25 which will permit of a pivoting action of the hopper transversely of the track which provides for the adjusting of hopper 22 with relation to roller 11 being polished. It will be noted that the track 21 extends upwardly and between the downwardly extending portions of the brackets 24 forming stops which limit the pivoting movement of the hopper 22 on the wheels 25.

In order to properly position the hopper with relation to rollers of different diameters for polishing, bed 12 is provided with angular brackets having bases 55, secured thereto adjacent the respective ends of bed 12, by bolts 56. Base has upwardly extending leg 57 with outwardly extending wing 58 lying in parallelism with and spaced from the base. Track 21 is provided with slot 59 for the reception therein of stabilizing leg depending from and afiixed to wing 58 and in spaced relation to leg 57. Wing 58 has adjusting screw 61 extending therethrough and in screw-threaded engagement with internally screw-threaded bore 62 extending vertically through track 21 for raising and lowering the track with relation to the bed 12 by the rotation of knurl head 63 of screw 61. Tensioning screws 64 have screw-threaded engagement with internally screw-threaded bore for contacting with leg '60 for securing the track 21 in adjusted spaced relation vertically to bed 12.

From the structure just described it will be readily seen that track 21 may be raised or lowered with relation to bed 12 forthe purpose of accommodating rollers of diiferent diameters to be polished by the rotation of screws 61.

The downwardly extending arcuate portion 23 of hopper 22 has central opening 26 therein communicating with throat 26a communicating with fan casing 27 for creating a vacuum within the downwardly extending portion 23 of the hop per 22 thereby creating a suction action on the soap stone dust suspended in the air of the area in which the powdered soap stone is being fed to the roller and forcing the soap stone dust upwardly through conveyer 28 to hood 29 of the hopper 22.

The hood 29 is provided with a removable bottom 30 for receiving the re-claimed soap stone dust. Hood 29 isfurther provided with hinge 31 and flange 32 on the front side thereof is for cooperation with flange 33 on the top of the hopper 22 for the reception therethrough of a locking device 34, which locking device is preferably of the screw-threaded winged nut type in order that the hood may be forced downwardly over the, hopper in order to tightly seal the parts to prevent the escape into the atmosphere of the finely powdered soap stone dust. Hood 29 is further provided with sealing strip 35 hingedly related thereto as at 36 and hopper 22 is provided with stop stud 37' adjacent the top thereof to be received in notch 38 of sealing strip 35 to limit the downward movement of the strip and is for the purpose of further providing against the escape of the finely powdered soap stone dust into the atmosphere. The bottom of hopper 22 is provided with downwardly converging walls 39 and 40 for the purpose of feeding the finely powdered soap stone within the hopper to the roller by gravitation, downwardly extending wall 40 terminates in a gate 41 hinged as at 42 thereto. The gate 41 being shown in open position by dotted lines in Figure 4. Gate 41 is controlled by finger 42a for varying the width of the opening in the bottom of the hopper for the escape of the finely powdered soap stone dust to the spreader in the form of a brush 43a secured in housing 435 and which applies the soap stone dust to roller 11 while the roller is being rotated at a high speed.

In order to adapt the device to the polishing of rollers of varying diameters, the downwardly extending arcuate portion 23 of hopper 22 is provided with detachable arcuate shaped fillers 50 adapted to coincide with the arc of rollers of dilferent diameters and have flanges 51 offset as at 52 from the side walls of the fillers for receiving therebetween the side walls of downwardly extending portion 23 of hopper 22. The flanges being connected at their lower extremities by a right angular flange 53. The side flanges 51 are provided with openings 54 for the reception therethrough of screws or bolts for fixedly securing the fillers to the downwardly extending arcuate por, tion 23 of hopper 22.

It will be understood that the fillers have faces formed of different arcs. For instance, rubber printing press rollers are usually of four, six, and seven inch diameter. The fillers therefore for grinding printing press rollers would be two in number and having arcuate faces for the accommodation of the rollers of four and six inch diameters respectively. The downwardly extending portion 23 of hopper 22 being of an arc to coin. cide with the diameter of a seven inch roller, for the polishing of which the device requires no fillers.

After a coating of soap stone dust is fed to the roller and the superfluous dust in the area of that part of the roller to which the soap stone has been fed'is withdrawn into the conveyor pipe 28 and forced backwardly and upwardly into the hood 29 by thesuction fan, the hopper is rolled on its rollers to the adjoining portion of the print: ing press roller for feeding thereto soap stone for the polishing of that portion of the roller and so on throughout the entire length of the roller while it is being polished.

Shaft 43 journaled in the side wall of hopper 22 as at 44 is provided with vanes 45 for the purpose of agitating the soap-stone dust collected in the bottom of the hopper by the rotation of the shaft by contact of wheels 46 with the rotating roller 11 in order that the powdered soap stone may freely feed from the opening in the hopper to the roller therebeneath.

In Figure 6 is shown a modification of the device in which the re-claimed powdered soap stone dust is conveyed into a receiving bag 4'? which may be of the type generally used for the collection ofdust in devices commonly. known as vacuum cleaners for sweeping carpets and the like. It being understood that housing 27a has a suitable motor therewithin for operating the fan in casing 27 as is the usual construction employed in vacuum cleaners.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all the forms in which it may be made, or all the forms of its use, what is claimed is:-

l. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper adapted to deliver a polishing sub stance to the roller, a brush lying in the path of delivery of the polishing substance and intermediate the' hopper and the roller, means for rotating the roller and means for withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it at a point remote therefrom.

2. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper adapted to deliver a polishing substance to the roller, a brush lying in the path of delivery of the polishing substance and intermediate the hopper'and the roller, means for rotating the roller, means for'withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it at a point remote therefrom and an agitator within thehopper and operably related to the roller.

3. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper adapted to deliver a polishing substance to the roller, a brush lying in the path of delivery of the polishing substance and intermediate the hopper and the roller, means for rotating the roller, means for withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it at a point remote therefrom, a rotatable agitator journaled within the hopper and frictionally engaging the roller.

4. A printing press roller polisher comprising 1 a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper adapted to deliver a polishing substance to the roller, a brush lying in the path of delivery of the polishing substance and intermediate the hopper and the roller, means ior rotating the roller, means for withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it at a point remote therefrom, a rotatable agitator journaled within the hopper and friction wheels carried by the agitator and adapted to contact with the roller.

5. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a track, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance to the roller and supported by the track,

means for controlling the width of the opening, an agitator journaled within the hopper, a stationary brush intermediate the opening and the roller and contacting means with the roller for actuating the agitator.

6. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance to the roller,

- means for controlling the width of the opening,

an agitator journaled within the hopper, a brush intermediate the opening and the roller, means for actuating the agitator, a hood having an opening into the hopper, means for closing said opening and vacuum means for withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it at a point remote therefrom.

'7. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance tothe roller, means for controlling the width of the opening, an agitator journaled within the hopper, a brush intermediate the opening and the roller, means for actuating the agitator, a hood communicating with the hopper, a slide for closing said communication and vacuum means for withdrawing a portion of the polishing substance from the roller and delivering it to the hood.

8. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance to the roller, means for controlling the width of the opening, an agitator journaled within the hopper, means for actuating the agitator, a hood hingedly secured to the top of the hopper, a fan communicating with the hopper 'for creating a suction on the face of the roller and a conveyer pipe leading from the'fan to the hood.

9. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance to the roller,

means for controlling the width of the opening,

an agitator journaled within the hopper, a brush intermediate the opening and the roller, means for actuating the agitator, a hood hingedly secured to the top of the hopper, a fan communicating with the hopper for creating a suction on the face of the roller, a conveyer pipe leading from the fan to the hood and pivoted sealing means for sealing the hood to the hopper.

10. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having a delivery opening therein for delivering a polishing substance to the roller, means for controlling the width of the opening, an agitator journaled within the hopper, a brush intermediate the opening and the roller, means for actuating the agitator, a hood hingedly secured to the top of the hopper, a fan communicating with the hopper for creating a suction on the face of the roller, a conveyer 'pipe leading from the fan to the hood and means for forcing the hood into close engagement with the top of the hopper.

' 11. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having an opening therein and adapted to deliver a polishing substance to the roller, said hopper having a downwardly extending arcuate portion adapted to lie in spaced relation to substantially one-half of the circumference of the roller, a suction fan communicating with the arcuate portion, a brush lying between the opening and the fan and adapted to contact with the roller, a hood superimposed upon the hopper and a conveyer pipe leading from the fan to the hood.

12. A printing press roller polisher comprising a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a hopper having an opening therein and adapted to deliver a polishing substance to the roller, said hopper having a downwardly extending arcuate portion adapted to lie in spaced relation to substantially one-half of the circumference of the roller, a suction fan communicating with the arcuate portion, a brush lying between the opening and the fan and adapted to contact with the roller, a hood superimposed upon the hopper, a conveyer pipe leading from the fan to the hood, a track spaced from and below the hopper, brackets depending from the hopper, and rollers journaled within the brackets for reciprocally moving the hopper longitudinally of the track.

13. The combination of a printing press roller polisher supporting frame for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, with a hopper for delivering a polishing substance to the roller, a suction fan communicating with the hopper and adjacent the roller, a hood superimposed upon the hopper, a conveyer pipe from the fan to the hood, an agitator within the hopper and adapted to be actuated by the roller, means for controlling the volume of delivery of the polishing substance to the roller and a removable slide between the hood and the hopper.

14. The combination of a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, with a hopper having an opening for delivering a polishing substance from the hopper to the roller, a gate for varying the width of said opening, means externally of the hopper for actuating the gate, agitating means Within the hopper and operable by the roller, said hopper having an arcuate portion adapted to be spaced from and encircle substantially one-half of the circumference of the roller, said arcuate portion having an opening therein, a suction fan communicating with the opening, a conveyor pipe connecting the fan and. the hood and a brush intermediate the delivery opening and the fan and adapted to contact with the roller.

15. A printing press roller polisher compris ing a support for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a grooved track supported by the support, a hopper having wheels for travel within the groove of the track, said groove being wider than the width of the wheels, said hopper having a downwardly extending arcuate portion adapted to lie in spaced relation to the face of the roller and fillers having offset flanges forming shoulders for receiving thereagainst the side walls of the hopper, said flanges being connected at their lower extremities by a transverse flange.

16. A printing press roller polisher comprising a base for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a grooved track supported by the base, a hopper supported for pivotal movement toward and from the roller by wheels positioned in the groove, said hopper being adapted to deliver a polishing medium to the roller.

1'7. A printing press roller polisher comprising a base for rotatably supporting a printing press roller, a grooved track supported by the base, a hopper supported by wheels positioned in the groove, said grooves being of such width as to permit of pivoting the hopper transversely of the track, said hopper being provided With means for delivering a polishing medium to said roller.

EUGENE L. CECIL 

